The Beaufort County Council gave unanimous approval Monday to this year's tax rate, providing thousands of property owners with a better idea of what they can expect from their tax bills.

Under the millage plan approved by the council, the owner of a $200,000 home will pay $1,142 in taxes, $402 less than last year, to pay for the county and school districts' budgets.

Municipal and fire district taxes also could be added to a tax bill depending on where a property sits within the county.

Under the plan approved by the council, 48.6 tax mills will be used to pay for the county's $65.5 million budget while 94.2 mills will pay for $129.4 million in school district operations and debt service.

This year's reassessment of real property in Beaufort County, the first since 1998, provided a $250 million increase in the county's tax base over last year but has also left property owners worried that they'll be taxed out of their homes.

Council members ensured property owners some of the new $250 million will be used to lower tax bills, not raise county revenue.

"There was no windfall for the county," County Councilman Mark Generales said. "It's a redistribution of the tax burden."

Tax bills are expected to go out in October while reassessment notices went out earlier this month.

Properties that didn't gain more than about 13 percent to 20 percent in value with the countywide reassessment could see a tax reduction this year, County Controller Tom Henrikson said.

While this year's tax bills will be lower for some, owners of land along the county's growing waterfront community should expect to receive an increased tax bill, Henrikson said.

A taxpayer whose property value increased by 50 percent with the reassessment should see a 15 percent increase in their tax bills over last year, Henrikson said. Property that increased by 100 percent with the reassessment will bring a tax bill 55 percent higher than last year's, he said.

While a main step in this year's budget process has been complete, county officials continue to develop contingency plans if a 20 percent cap on reassessments approved by the General Assembly in early June is signed by the governor, County Administrator Gary Kubic said.

The legislation could force county officials to send out tax refunds without allowing them to collect additional dollars from people who may have paid too little.

Gov. Mark Sanford has not said whether he will sign the bill into law.

Also Monday, the council voted 9-1 to contract out most functions of the county Human Resources Department, a move that's expected to save taxpayers about $1 million a year.

Councilman Bill Ladson opposed the measure and Councilwoman Starletta Hairston abstained.

The council awarded a $472,500, one-year contract to Tri-State PEO of New York. Tri-State will take over the county's payroll, risk management and employee benefit needs by mid-October, Kubic said.

Expected savings include:

$843,000 by changing health insurance coverage from Blue Cross-Blue Shield of South Carolina to the Blue Cross-Blue Shield national plan maintained by Tri-State;

$391,673 in salary and benefit costs for four to five staff positions that will be shifted to other departments or eliminated along with two unfilled human resources positions;

$55,000 by using Tri-Care technology instead of the county's programs;

$107,940 in payroll administrative costs; and

$224,371 in other reduced budget costs.

Council members were reassured by county staff that premiums would not increase because of the switch.

"We are not changing the situation of any of our employees," Kubic said.

Ladson said he opposed the plan because county department heads weren't consulted before the decision was made.

"It's like coming into my home and telling me how to raise my kids," he said.

Kubic said members of the department were intentionally left out of the process because of the effects an expected overhaul would have on their positions.

Also during Monday's meeting the council:

Gave final approval to $32 million in borrowing to pay for the county's annual capital improvement program and land conservation program; and

Gave initial approval to reinstate traffic impact fees charged to developers in northern Beaufort County. The measure needs two more council approvals and a public hearing as well as approvals by both the Beaufort City Council and the Port Royal Town Council.